Episode 3: Means To An End- Venom and Rancor
A/N- Now I present to you our faithful followers, the finale of Episode Three Season 3. Thanks for the votes and fantastic reviews guys! :)
Now concerning the vote, it was actually really damn close, it went back and forth so many times, I had to keep changing what happened, so I decided to meet both needs partially, so you know what would've happened. So, enjoy nevertheless!
"I'm going to kill you." Dusty simply responded with a snarl as he wielded the sizzling fire poker like a sword.
"And I hope you all live forever in this hell on earth!" She cursed back at them.
"Dusty..." Clementine and Michael looked on at the scene before them, and for the first time since she met her. Katherine's eyes were full of fear, they were in the end, afraid of death after all and trapped. Dusty began to advance on her... and Clem glanced at the gun in her hand. Had she have the right? Or should she take a step back?
[Shoot Katherine]
[Let Dusty Kill Her]
"Get away from me!" Katherine yelled as Dusty reeled back the fire poker. "NO!"
*BANG!*
Even though Clementine's bullet found its way straight through Katherine's forehead, the young man didn't even care at that moment."Rah!" As he body slumped to the floor, he dove the white-hot metal into her stomach... Dusty clenched his teeth, along with the plunge into her abdomen, he was also burning her flesh. He then added insult to injury and twisted his weapon of choice while it was still buried in her intestines, making a squelching noise in the process. If Katherine were still alive for this... she would be in unimaginable agony...
Baby AJ was sobbing at the loud previous exclamations going on before them, and Michael and Clem could only look on with disgust as Dusty went on with mutilating Katherine's body, swishing it all around in her. But then their stares were cold, and the two kids could only do their best to quiet and comfort Alvin Junior. Suddenly, Dusty pulled the fire poker out of the dead Katherine's stomach and revoltingly, a string of her intestine had hooked onto the tip.
He whipped the bloody bowel off and let out another grunt of frustration as he fell to his knees with his back still facing them, he himself staring at the work he had done. With an exasperated sigh he spoke to them. "You killed her before I could get to her... why?"
"I... couldn't let you do that Dusty." Clementine told him. "Even to someone like her..."
(?) They will remember this.
"You know...My dad told me once, that hell wasn't about your suffering, it was watching the suffering of others, the people you care about... I tried and I tried ever since this whole fuckin' thing started, I wanted to help other survivors... ease their pain and stop the senseless killing. But now... I... that idea is screwing me, over and over, again and again... now every time I look at myself..." He trailed off as he touched his scarred face and tenderly clutched his arm, he then turned his head and looked into the fireplace. "I'll think of my mistakes... getting Maree killed because I wasn't man enough to just rescue her, right then and there... Yeah, burning was nothing... compared to watching her brains being blown out in front of me."
Clementine felt bad for Dusty, but feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to help anyone. "You did what you thought was right Dusty."
"It's my fault she's dead Clem." He muttered feebly.
"No it's not! It was Katherine who pulled the trigger, you tried to talk her down-!"
"And look what happened Clementine! SHIT HAPPENED!"
"She was always nice to me, and she took care of AJ to the very end all the way here!" Clementine roared back. "So she was our friend too, Dusty! You're not the only who's lost people!"
"She fixed up my hand, made sure it didn't get infected!" Michael added readily. "She's in a better place, with her dad now."
"Neither of you kids knew her like I did!" Dusty finally got up and took the fire iron with him, only to falter and lean against the door frame and let out a gentle sob. "I think I loved her..."
AJ wails quieted when Clementine comforted the distraught man. "I know she loved you back, Dusty."
(?) Dusty will remember that.
"Fuck... fuck..." He covered his eyes with his spare hand and avoided the kids gaze. Dusty then slowly made his way out of the office, off to find some solitude for a little bit. "I'll be... uh... I need some time alone..."
Dusty shuffled out towards the stairs, leaving Michael, Clem, and AJ by themselves. Michael went and picked up Katherine's knife she dropped earlier, and offered it to Clementine. "Think he'll be okay?"
[Take Knife]
[Deny Knife]
Clem shrugged, it was a weapon that was used to threaten AJ with, but a knife like this was never not useful. She took the blade plus its sheathe and pocketed it. "I don't know... I've seen this kind of thing go both ways." Maybe Dusty was strong enough to get over it, or maybe... "Give him some time."
Michael nodded. "Yeah, we'll see I guess." He then looked back at Katherine's corpse which was beginning to smell. "Come on, let's get AJ outta here."
Clem definitely agreed on that, so the three of them left the office as well to meet up with the others down on the chapel level.
"Hey." Hazen greeted as the two kids came down the last step to enter the chapel level. "You guys made it... Junior still doing good too?"
"Yeah." Clem answered him as she adjusted the baby in her arms.
"Whoa man!" Michael raised his eyebrows at Hazen, whose shirt was still splattered and stained with Nate's blood. "What happened to you?"
"Oh..." He examined his own attire, thinking he will probably have to wash his shirt soon. "Just had to get my hands dirty that's all."
The little girl looked around and noticed that Wayne and Brooke were not where they were next to where Angus's body used to be. Oddly enough it looked like all the bodies were dragged out of the podium and pew areas, they must have moved them, and Hazen must have also moved Helga out of the catacombs downstairs as well. "Where's everyone else?" She inquired from the older bloodied teen.
"Uh... seeing as how that girl Brooke is on our side now, I guess..." He weirdly rolled his eyes at his own remark. "She and I were able to move Wayne in the small bedroom in the downstairs lobby, she left him and Helga alone in there."
"Maybe I should go check on them?" Clem suggested out loud.
"I wouldn't. Not with what happened to Helga down there." Hazen shook his head at that.
"Why? What happened with Helga?" Michael inquired, seemingly worried for his companion. "Was she hurt?"
"Umm..." Hazen looked at Clem and wondered if even she would understand the details of Helga's sexual assault and the fact that this wasn't the first time the blonde teen had gone through this traumatic experience. "I'll explain after you're done talking to Clem here. Okay?"
"What why?" The fourteen year old pried.
"Hazen, whatever you can say to Michael, you can say to me. You don't have to keep secrets." Clem's innocence shined through on the subject of the topic.
(?) Hazen will remember that.
"Don't worry Clem, it's... just stuff. Michael, meet me downstairs near the lobby when you get the chance." Hazen was already jogging his way out of the exit of the chapel, attending to the other matters of the group. "I need to find Dusty."
"What's his deal?" Michael shrugged, wondering what was up with him. "I've never seen that guy so... brisk."
"I think he's just ready to step up with all that's happened." Clementine gently rocked AJ, smiling down at the infant. With all that was going on, she didn't even give him any special attention for a while. "It's good to have you back." She told him soothingly.
Michael nodded. "It sure is." He agreed, holding out his hand so that AJ could wrap his tiny hands around Michael's finger. "Such a big boy..." He muttered. "He'll be walking soon..."
"Not soon enough." Clementine chuckled, the one year old putting strain on her arms. "All he does is crawl."
"Then he'll have to start shooting a gun. When do you plan on teaching him?" He asked.
"I don't plan on it. I just want him to enjoy being a kid for a while. I didn't really get that chance."
"Good call." Michael agreed, his eyes not leaving the child in her arms "Well, whenever you do decide to teach him, I'll help you." He stated.
"Really?" Clementine questioned him.
Michael smiled. "I promise." He assured her. He paused for a moment and pulled away from AJ's grip. "Can I, uh-..." He glanced at her nervously.
"What?"
"Can I hold him?" He asked, holding out his arms. "I've never held him before..."
"Of course." Clementine replied cheerfully, handing AJ to Michael. "You hold him like-" she was going to demonstrate how to hold him, just like she'd shown Jane in the past. But Michael didn't even need advice, he supported AJ's head and lower body and gently rocked him. "You seem to know what you're doing." She commented.
"Uh, yeah, I suppose I do..." He murmured.
"Have you done this before?" She asked.
Michael seemed saddened by her question. He had been slightly happy mere moments ago when he had been rocking AJ back and forth. Now he was staring with a broken heart at the child. "Here, you should take him back I need to-" He cut himself off as he handed AJ back to her. He let out a shaky sigh and ran his hand down his forehead and over his eyes. "I'll be back in a bit. I need to meet up with Hazen..." As he was about to leave, he looked at AJ again. "See you later, little guy." He murmured, poking his nose. AJ let out what could be assumed as a giggle.
Michael turned and walked away, without saying another word. He lifted his hand and put it to his mouth as he exited. Clementine was melancholy to see her friend so sad so quick. But she had other matters to attend to as well. She would drop in on Brooke and then check in with Helga and Wayne...
They couldn't stay here too much longer...
Clem stepped out of the church hallway and into the small spare bedroom. Inside was a christian cross on the wall and a small green bed lay in the corner. Wayne laid down over the sheets with his bandaged stomach and his sister right by his bedside. Clem was able to drop AJ off with Brooke who was going to try and find Dusty too.
The twelve year old approached the blonde teen who was comforting her sleeping older brother. "Wayne, bro... I need to talk to you. Please wake up." The man in question still looked pale. Brooke had said that he lost a lot of blood, even though he needed it this was the worst time for a nap. "Something happened..." She sobbed.
"Helga...?" Clem addressed her. "Are you okay?"
The girl's demeanor stiffened entirely as she turned around to respond to her. "Get out of here."
"I wanted to check on you." Clem honestly replied. "See if you were okay..."
"Do I look like I'm fucking okay?!" She snarled at her. "Leave us ALONE GODDAMMIT!"
"Your brother's going to be fine!" The little girl stood her ground. "The man who attacked you is dead."
"None of that would've fucking happened if you just kept your fucking sob stories to yourself!" Helga roared at her as she became increasingly more hostile. "Because of your little crusade, my brother got shot!" She then lowered her tone to that of a sarcastic one. "I'm so elated that your little baby is fine..." She switched back to her aggressive attack. "I'm sure Maree really appreciated it too."
Clementine argued back with an apology. "I'm sorry that your brother got shot, and I'm sorry that man got to you... but you're still alive. We need to stick together if we want to get through this."
"Stick together?" Helga questioned with a hiss. "Yeah, that ain't gonna happen." She then declared her ultimatum. "When my brother wakes up, we are leaving this group. That's it! We've paid whatever dues you think we owe you! We're done! I don't even want to look at you right now..."
"Yeah? And what are you going to do, when Wayne says no? When he still wants to stay with us?" Clem challenged, crossing her arms.
Helga then resulted to a threat. "Then I'm going to do something that's gonna kick us outta the group. My gun might slip, I might wanna play that game again... and the bullet won't hit near your foot this time."
Clem had never seen Helga this angry before, it scared her, she frightened her. If she followed through on these words... "Whatever happened to 'Fireflies' Helga?"
(?) Helga will remember that.
"I'll stuff a jar of them down your throat if your still so eager, squirt!" Whatever budding alliance she had with this girl was eviscerated. "Now for the last time, leave us the hell alo-!"
*GRROOAAH!*
"AHHHHHHH!"
To her absolute surprise and horror, a zombified Wayne had suddenly awoken and lunged its grey dead hand into the bundle of blonde hair which belonged to Helga and yanked her head back! "Clem! Clementine! Help me!"
She was resisting it's grip but she wasn't going to be able to hold out for long! Wayne's snapping jaws were getting closer and closer to his sister's throat. Clem had only one chance, and that was now. She pulled out her pistol...
[Help Helga]
[Leave Helga]
After all the shit, threats, and hate she put up from this girl, she couldn't just let her die, not after all of this. A dark side of Clem wanted to just let her die, but it was not strong enough to overpower her sense of virtue yet, even after what Helga threatened to do.
Clem was about to pull the trigger but then-! A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and knocked her pistol out of her hands! Clem struggled with all her might, but the pair of arms would not release her, she couldn't reach her gun either, she couldn't do anything! Then...
Wayne's jaws sunk deep into a screaming Helga's throat, ripping it to shreds in one bite...
"GAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"HELGA!"
...
...
"Shh shh... it's okay..."
...
Next Time on the Walking Dead.
Brooke sighed as Clementine walked up to her with AJ in her arms. "I suppose your group could use an extra pair of hands, right?"
The remaining company had gone on the move, they had to continue on to this outpost. They could hear gulls calling and Clementine spotted a lighthouse in the distance... It seemed like they were there...
"Who's there?" Clem called out warily to the person hiding in the shadows. He looked quite familiar and his voice responded with this.
"I know you're just a little girl, but are you friendly?"
Clem's eyes widened when he stepped out into the light. "I remember you..."
Michael angrily shouted. "Get the fuck outta here!"
Appeasement: Would you have given Sven's life over to Katherine?
Persistence: Would you have convinced Wayne and Helga to go to St. Francis?
Pursue: Would you have gone after Helga or AJ in the church first?
Wrath: Would you have let Dusty take his revenge on Katherine?
Forgiveness: In the end, would you have tried to save Helga's life?
A/N- That episode was hard to write, I'm sad now.. Submit your theories on what may have happened at the end there, and stay tuned for the next episode! Coming soon on Dec. 1th on Season 3-Episode 4: Beacon of Light.